Angharad is awarded an Ibex in recognition of her significant personal commitment and contribution to the BDA and the profession for over 5 years in the field of paediatric dietetics nationally.
Angharad is awarded an Ibex in recognition of her significant personal commitment and contribution to the BDA and the profession for over 5 years in the field of paediatric dietetics nationally.
Angharad is an outstanding Service Lead Paediatric Dietitian at Hywel Dda University Health Board, who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to advancing care for children and families, particularly in paediatric eating disorders. As co-author of the British Dietetic Association’s ARFID Position Statement and contributor to its ongoing revision, she has shaped best practice across the UK.
Her leadership in developing the 2025 ARFID Toolkit and delivering national training has significantly enhanced workforce capability. Clinically innovative and deeply patient-focused, Angharad has advanced care through developing new protocols and professional resources and public engagement through media work and as a BDA media spokesperson.
Her sustained work within the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group and ARFID subgroup has strengthened collaboration, improved workforce capability, and enhanced service quality and makes her a worthy recipient of an Ibex.
Angharad has shared what receiving this BDA Ibex Honour means to her.
What does it mean to you to have been awarded with the Ibex honour?
I am genuinely overwhelmed to have been awarded the Ibex honour. My first reaction was probably, “Have you got the right person?”!
I absolutely love being a dietitian, so to be recognised by the BDA in this way feels incredibly special. I feel very lucky to have had a career that has given me so many opportunities while still allowing me to do what matters most to me – helping children, young people and their families.
What drove you to become a dietitian in the first place and to be where you are today?
I have always loved food and cooking and knew I wanted to work in healthcare. At 16, I did work experience in a local dietetic department and absolutely loved it. I even spent time in the hospital kitchens preparing meals for special diets – and in those days we really did cook! The team were brilliant and I knew from then that I wanted to be a dietitian.
That love of food has stayed with me throughout my career, although working in ARFID has taught me to think about food in a very different way. Sometimes food simply needs to be food – something that feels safe, manageable and nourishing. Helping families get to that point, without judgement about what eating 'should' look like, has become a huge part of where I am today. 25 years later, I still love being a dietitian, both in the NHS and in my private practice.
Who would you say inspires you both dietetically but also non-dietetically?
Dietetically, Vanessa Shaw has been a huge inspiration. I had the privilege of working under her at Great Ormond Street Hospital and then sit alongside her on the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group committee. Her paediatric knowledge is extraordinary but I was equally inspired by her work ethic, generosity and commitment to giving back to the profession.
I am inspired by the dietitians I work alongside through the BDA Paediatric Specialist Group and ARFID Sub-Group committees. Their passion and willingness to support others are a constant reminder of what can be achieved by working together.
Outside dietetics, my husband Russell is my biggest inspiration – and definitely my biggest cheerleader. Self-doubt can creep in very easily and he is always the person reminding me that I can do it.
What advice would you give to future dietitians?
Get involved, be curious and learn from the people around you. Ask questions, say yes to opportunities and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.
Be kind to the people you work with and to yourself. None of us feels confident all the time, so don’t let self-doubt stop you from taking opportunities that might lead somewhere unexpected.
What has been the highlight of your dietetic career to date?
I have been incredibly lucky to have had opportunities I could never have imagined when I first qualified but one particular highlight has been contributing to the ESPGHAN ARFID position paper (not yet published). I have never thought of myself as an academic, so finding myself working alongside internationally respected professionals whose work I had read and admired was both exciting and slightly terrifying! It reminded me that years of clinical experience and listening to children and families have real value.
More broadly, one of the greatest privileges of my career has been working with people with lived experience of ARFID and their families. Helping parents who have often spent years feeling that nobody understands their child’s eating difficulties is still one of the most rewarding parts of my job – and ultimately why I still love being a dietitian.